Is my wrasse killing/eating all the shrimp I try to add to my reef

[lukinrats]

I have a pretty good size, twin spot wrasse. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1379+382&pcatid=382

I noticed a good while back that my cleaner shrimp were not around. Next I purchased some peppermint shrimp to clean my reef of aptaisia, which they did, but shortly thereafter went missing.

The aptaisia are back in my reef, so I ordered some more shrimp to clean them up again. I did not mean to, but did not fully read the title of the item I was buying, and I put 10 peppermint shrimp in my tank last thursday. I have not seen any of them since, and I am pretty sure that it was the wrasse.

After I got to thinking about all the shrimp, I realized that the cleaners were fine in there, until this wrasse started getting bigger. Same thing with my original pair of peppermints.

I have caught a break!!!!!!! I knew I was not going to be able to catch this wrasse, so I decided to just leave it alone, and worry about it down the road. However, the wrasse went missing yesterday, and it turned out that it was in my refugium, down in my sump.

So I have him cornered now. I am convinced that he must have gotten sucked down, while trying to catch the last little peppermint or something like that.

I am fairly certain that it will not matter what anyone says. This wrasse is history! I just wanted to be sure that I am condemning the right criminal

Thanks,
Nate

 

[Toddrtrex]

What do you mean by "the wrasse is history" ?

Can't be upset that the wrasse is eating your shrimp, from the LA link, " . The Twin Spot Wrasse will eat urchins, crabs, shrimp, and small invertebrates. It is an excellent hunter and will leave no rock unturned (literally), in search of food. "

 

[lukinrats]

What do you mean by "the wrasse is history" ?

Can't be upset that the wrasse is eating your shrimp, from the LA link, " . The Twin Spot Wrasse will eat urchins, crabs, shrimp, and small invertebrates. It is an excellent hunter and will leave no rock unturned (literally), in search of food. "

LOL! I know it does. I just mean that I am taking it back to the LFS. I bought the wrasse from there, probably about 1-1.5 yrs ago. I asked the owner if it was reef safe, but that was back when I trusted him. I now google everything I want to know, when I am in there

Anyway, he said oh ya, it is an excellent reef citizen. So, I took him at his word, and I never really saw any reason to check up on his opinion. I mean, none of my corals were being bothered, and It was getting along well with all the other fish. Also, my shrimp were fine for the longest time, while the wrasse was in there. However, I now know that was just because he needed to grow.

I am also convinced that it was the reason for the death of my Mandarin. I see the wrasse constantly trying to find copepods, and I think since it is such a voracious eater, it quickly wiped out the pod supply for the Mandy. I had plenty, and the Mandy was fat for a long time, but looking back on it. I can see how the Mandy was getting skinnier as the wrasse was getting fatter

I would never harm the fish. I love it actually, and really dont want it to go. I mean it has a name and everything. I am just going to take it back to the LFS, since I have the opportunity

Later
Nate

 

[snorvich]

So you are going to give it back to your LFS? The one who lied to you when he sold it to you?

 

[lukinrats]

Well, it is the only thing that I can think of. What other option would I have for a fish that I do not want?

 

[BrianD]

I think since it is such a voracious eater, it quickly wiped out the pod supply for the Mandy.

I hate to say it, but it is more likely the twin spot beat the crap out the mandarin to the point it didn't feed. If a mandarin has to compete with any fish for food, it will usually lose.

I am sorry the LFS gave you bad advice. It goes back to the old adage to always be suspicious of advice from people who are trying to sell something to you.

Do you have a local reef club or someone who might want the wrasse?

 

[lukinrats]

I hate to say it, but it is more likely the twin spot beat the crap out the mandarin to the point it didn't feed. If a mandarin has to compete with any fish for food, it will usually lose.

Ya, I am sure that would be acurate. I just never saw any sign of it happening. I have never seen the wrasse bully anything in the tank. However, I am only looking for about 4 hours out of every day

I am sorry the LFS gave you bad advice. It goes back to the old adage to always be suspicious of advice from people who are trying to sell something to you.

It did not take me long to realize that the guy would tell you anything. This is one of the MANY reasons that I love my IPhone. Now, I just go in the store and google everything over 3G. If I ask him anything now, it is usually for a price, or the name of something that I dont recognize

Do you have a local reef club or someone who might want the wrasse?

Unfortunately, there is nothing like that around me. I have checked with several people over the years. There is a Mod, or maybe the editor of the magazine on Reefcentral, who lives in this area. I found that out several years ago, and asked him (I think it is Skip or Skipper maybe). He said that they used to have a club, years ago, but it had since disbanded. I do not know a single other person in my area that even has a FOWLR, much less a reef.

Sadly the LFS is my only source for reef things. It has never been a good one either. About the only thing that I may have in my tank, which was purchased from that store, would probably be a couple of pieces of rock. Not many things from there have even lived. I used to think it was just me, and that I had no business trying to keep live animals. Then I started buying things online, and/or at Macna. Everything that I can think of, that I ever bought outside of my LFS, has lived

Later,
Nate

 

[snorvich]

My condolences. However it seems as if you have your act together now and have a process of selection that works. Good luck in the future.